My handsome birthday boy.

33 of my Favorite Things About Joe on His 33rd Birthday

1. He's funny. Yes, you may not know this about him, but he makes me laugh out loud to the point of tears, all the time. His humor is a stealth secret that he keeps, but I've seen it and it's greatness.
2. He wears the exact same clothes he's worn since he was a child. If they still fit him and would never wear out...he would probably still have shirts from childhood.
3. He is constant...the man isn't real big on change.
4. His nicknames...that I've heard may explain him: Uncle Joe and Preacher Joe...at both times these were given he was neither an actual uncle or a pastor...but his mannerisms showed for both...oh, and he's "Brother Joe" to KK people.
5. He loves sports. He's not a fanatic, but he's loyal. College Football: University of Iowa, College Basketball: Duke, ProFootball: Cowboys, ProBasketball: L.A. Lakers.
6. He's from the MidWest, but LOVES Texas. I really believe he's a Texan at heart.
7. He wears cowboy boots...almost every day. He would wear them over any other shoe.
8. Joe loves ice cream...I credit that fact to the amount of weight I gained in both of my pregnancies.
9. He's a "no frills" kind of guy. You get him exactly as he is...and he's wonderful.
10. Very little shakes him. He has an amazing faith in our Lord.
11. His favorite meals would be a good steak, Italian food (pizza included) and hamburgers...the man lived off of these for almost 9 years before I met him.
12. He has no need for a lot of friends, but he has GREAT close friends.
13. Joe loves to be outside. He love to take Will to the park, play in the yard, or just go camping with the guys.
14. Joe spent 5 years on Kanakuk staff...I believe this was huge in the friendships that were created.
15. He was dear friends with Becky Meredith Page LONG before I ever met her...and she is now one of MY best friends. So we have good taste in friends.
16. He likes to decorate in western motif...okay, not one of my favorite things about him, but since he contains it to his office at home, I don't complain.
17. He loves to snuggle with Ella.
18. Will thinks that Daddy is the greatest man alive.
19. Joe accepted me right where I was when we met, and it wasn't a very pretty place. He fell in love with who the Lord showed him I was, not what the world said about me.
20. He will go straight to the bible in any hard situation. First he'll pray, then the bible comes out.
21. He is SO good with our finances. He manages them so well, it's so easy to let him be in control of them.
22. He laughs at me...not in a bad way, but because I'm very silly, and he gets that I'm a little off and thinks it's funny.
23. He gives the kids a bath every night...and enjoys that as their time to catch up.
24. He won an award called "I am Third" at Kamp...this shows the kind of person he's always been.
25. He prays over every meal that our family eats...even Will knows to bow his head and hold hands...priceless.
26. He always grabs my hand and holds it when we pray. Even if we are across the room from each other when a prayer is given, he will usually come find me and take my hand. We love to pray together.
27. He loves his family. He said that's what drew him to me, was my love of my family, but it's been wonderful to see how much he loves his brothers. They are each so special to him. His world of aunts and uncles is precious too. His family is now our family and I like that.
28. He was overwhelmed with joy the day Ella was born and overcome with grief when we thought we would lose her. He thought to pray the second they told us that something was wrong and hasn't stopped praying for a complete healing for her. He is faithful to her and her future.
29. He is a wonderful man for my son to get to look up to...I so blessed that Will loves his daddy and that his daddy makes him a priority.
30. He loves me. The way God called him to love me. The way that Christ loves the church. He loves me and the protects us...he does more, but he does these two so well.
31. He's a simple man who married a complicated woman...he's done pretty good so far.
32. He has shown grace to me and extends it to others...as Becky once said...Joe is evidence of God's grace in my life.
33. Above the 3 of us and everything else. He loves the Lord, His Savior, Jesus Christ. Nothing comes ahead of his relationship to Christ. He amazes me daily. (sometimes moment by moment)